Originally Posted By seanyoda Here's the story... <a href="http://yahoo.reuters.com/financeQuoteCompanyNewsArticle.jhtml?duid=mtfh04039_2005-11-08_17-44-13_n08529989_newsml" target="_blank">http://yahoo.reuters.com/finan ceQuoteCompanyNewsArticle.jhtml?duid=mtfh04039_2005-11-08_17-44-13_n08529989_newsml</a>
Originally Posted By mrkthompsn So much for EPCOT's motto of being a showcase for ~American~ industrial ingenuity.
Originally Posted By trekkeruss Well, if American industry is unwilling to pony up the money to sponsor attractions, I'd rather foreign companies did so, than let Epcot get even worse.
Originally Posted By Chelledun Hey, I'm excited! Hopefully this will mean sprucing things up and adding something in that dreadfully depressing empty hall at the exit. I didn't want Space Ship earth to end up like poor sponsorless Wonders of Life!
Originally Posted By mrkthompsn <<Well, if American industry is unwilling to pony up the money to sponsor attractions, I'd rather foreign companies did so, than let Epcot get even worse.>> I agree. It's worth changing the motto. I'd like to see a company like Sony come in and improve a pavillion like Journey Into Imagination.
Originally Posted By tonyanton Another site had the story from "Business Wire." Apparently, Siemans will also be sponsoring "Illuminations," the Electrical Parade and the Parade of Dreams at DL, exhibits at both Innoventions, and their Sylvania lighting subsidiary will sponsor the Osbourne lights at the studios. Sounds like a great partnership for Disney. Hopefully more new sponsors are on the way.
Originally Posted By vbdad55 American companies too busy sending all their white collar jobs to South America to worry about sponsorship ( more than most people are aware) -- good for Siemens. I have dealt with them in my job and they are a professional organziation.... I am glad to have a sponsor, would have loved for it to be an American one, but I guess most are not interested, but some ( not all ) will be first in line to complain about buying patterns.
Originally Posted By FerretAfros I've never really thought of Epcot showcasing American products. The entire back half of the park sort of goes agains that idea.
Originally Posted By ssWEDguy I think the mostly showcasing of American technology is from back when Walt was hobnobbing with American industrial giants and getting to visit their development laboratories. Walt was was something of a serious patriot as well. But I feel that if eventually had the chance to visit with foreign developers that he probably would have embraced their work as well. The USofA doesn't have an exclusive all all things technological. We are an international community.
Originally Posted By vbdad55 <The Orlando Sentinel reported today that the Walt Disney Co. "signed a 12-year marketing agreement with technology giant Siemens AG that includes rights for Siemens to sponsor a number of attractions at Walt Disney World in Orlando. Siemens will have its brand on the Epcot icon, "SpaceShip Earth," the nighttime Epcot fireworks show, "Illuminations: Reflections of Earth," as well as new attractions that will be incorporated into Innoventions both at Epcot and at Disneyland Resort." The sponsorship extends to other Disney attractions, including Disney-MGM Studios' Osborne Family Spectacle of Lights, as well as "Disney's Electrical Parade" and "Walt Disney's Parade of Dreams" at Disneyland Resort in California. From another site --- it sounds like many Deutsche marks ( oh yeah Euro's) changed hands here -- this is a LOT of visibility. ( Check for those German flags at the entry gates - LOL ) -- but all told, if this results in more technology at EPCOT -- especially Innoventions - and maybe finally an ending for the travel thru SSE -- I am all for it. I would love to have had this be Microsoft -- but whatever. And yes, Walt was a serious patriot -- so an American company would have been nice -- Microsoft IBM GE Intel Yahoo etc.
Originally Posted By ssWEDguy MicroSoft would have been my first choice as well. IBM would have been great too, with their huge size and international presence. They are also a former alma-mater of mine. But they're running their corporate ship extra-extra tight these days too.
Originally Posted By Jim_n_Ruth Let's see what happens. Who knows. Maybe they might have some fresh and interesting ideas.
Originally Posted By vbdad55 <IBM would have been great too, with their huge size and international presence. They are also a former alma-mater of mine. But they're running their corporate ship extra-extra tight these days too.< Tell me about it......have been there 28 years........
Originally Posted By Labuda Well, I never in a million years would have THOUGHT of Siemens for SSE's new sponsor, but ya know what? I'm GLAD! This poor ride needs a lot of TLC and Siemens is a rather large company, so they should be able to afford to give that old girl a makeover.
Originally Posted By RoadTrip I agree. I hope this means a secure future for the signature attraction of Epcot. I don't find sponsorship by a foreign firm to be a problem at all. The whole concept of SSE is how communication has brought the world together and made us a "global village". Why would a foreign firm be out of place?
Originally Posted By vbdad55 <Siemens is a rather large company< putting that lightly -- they are an 80 Billion Euro company with 430,000 employees - roughly size wise the same as IBM. I think most people use Siemen's products without knowing it -- phone switches for major installations, car navigation systems, land line and mobile phones -- and a lot of work with electrical systems for cars & planes - as well as metal technology. Well diversivified......I got involved with them once on a contract for our phone switches -- very professional..... so yes, they definitely have the cash -- as well as understand corporate cultures and the value-- they are a 150 year old company.....not many of those worldwide
Originally Posted By vbdad55 For those looking for more positives under the new Iger regime, this would be one to me.
